The Alfred Hitchcock Hour was a mystery and suspense anthology hosted by the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. Each 60 minute episode included opening and closing vignettes featuring Hitchcock, who would often explain some aspect of the day's show and would often offer subtle (or not so subtle) jabs at the show's sponsors. The series premiered on CBS on Thursday, September 20, 1962, in the 10:00-11:00 PM time-slot opposite ABC's Alcoa Premiere and NBC's The Andy Williams Show. In its third season, the show moved to NBC and was shown on Monday 10:00 to 11:00 PM. On NBC it was broadcast opposite ABC's Ben Casey and CBS's Slattery's People. The Alfred Hitchcock Hour featured both original works produced directly for television and adaptations of existing source material. Some authors whose work was adapted for the series include: Cornell Woolrich, Ellery Queen, H.G. Wells, Henry Slesar, John Wyndham, William Link, Ray Bradbury, and Robert Bloch. The show also featured work by famous (or soon to be famous) directors Alfred Hitchcock, Sydney Pollack, and William Friedkin.moreless

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Quotes (10)

Warren Barrow: [motioning with the gun as Ivar West kneels on the floor] Well, go ahead! Pray!

Charlie Hill: Jahdoo! Jahdoo! Jahdoo! I want my jar!

Thedy Sue Hill: You wuth gonna hit me with that thpoon.

Alfred Hitchcock: I only hope I'm let out while I still have some fizz.

Eva: You never believe me when I tell you things are real.

Host: Good evening. have you ever wondered what it would be like to be the absolute ruler of a nation? I'm finding out. I am the winner on a television show called King for a Day. I'm a trifle disturbed, however. I just learned how they are able to provide for a different winner each day. This country, like the earth, has one revolution every 24 hours. It is reassuring to know, however, that the state funerals are among the best. As usual, this prologue has absolutely nothing to do with tonight's play, which tells the story of a little man who becomes involved in a very odd charade. One of my first acts as king was to ban from the country forever all television commercials. They were deported to the United States. Here is one of them.

Host: This is the end of the first half. Please change sides. Before we begin the second half, your local coach wishes to give you a pep talk. (cut to commercial)

Host: Who says this program doesn't have heart? Arthur and Sylvia lived happily ever after. She in San Diego, and he in San Quentin. One of California's finest prisons. There his roommate turned out to be Mr. Rudolph. It was rather sad to see Arthur's career cut short. By the time he was apprehended, he was only one heartbeat away from a vice presidency. A further note about football. a gunshot usually signals the end of the game. Which is where we are. (shoots) Oh dear, we shall have to get a new referee next time. Good night.

Notes (33)

Additional Credit:
This program in cooperation with the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Please help them prevent forest fires.

Norman Lloyd, who directed this episode, produced many of the Hitchcock Hour shows

Interestingly enough, MacDonald Carey and Peggy McCay would go on to co-star together in the NBC soap Days of Our Lives. MacDonald was a regular since the beginning, but McCay would join in the late 80s.

This episode is based on the novel Ride the Nightmare (1959) by Richard Matheson.

This episode is based on two stories "Hangover" by John D. MacDonald and "Marian" by Charles Runyan. The short story "Hangover" was first published in Cosmopolitan (July, 1956).

The teleplay for this episode was written by Richard Matheson under the pseudonym "Logan Swanson".

This episode was written by producer Roland Kibbee as a pilot for a possible network series. A series, however, never materialized.

Michael Rennie's chracter, who marries into a wealthy family that he attempts to kill off, is named Manson